Instigator Blog

So here it is in all its glory. I must admit watching myself borders on Chinese water torture, but we got a lot of great feedback.

It’s just around 5:36 … well under the 6 minute limit. I rushed a few parts, but generally the pace was good and there were no “oops” moments. I’m very pleased with the way it went, and with the whole DEMO experience. More on that later…

I’m pleased to announce (even though it’s around 4am and I’m barely conscious) that Standout Jobs is live! We just launched officially to the world with press releases, a new website, a bunch of customers and of course, an actual product.

The product is called RECEPTION. It’s a suite of web-based tools to power your online recruiting efforts. At its core you’ll find a do-it-yourself, interactive Career Site. The idea is to give companies the power to truly showcase their cultures and teams. Candidates want more information and interactivity from companies, and we hope to provide that. By allowing companies and candidates to build on-going relationships we make the process of hiring a more human one, which is ultimately, what it’s all about any way. Job descriptions and job requirements are nice (or not!) but what candidates really want is an inside view into your company - they want to know if it’s a good cultural and personal fit.

Along with the core Career Site functionality we also have a few additional tools:

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I’ve arrived in Palm Springs at the beautiful Marriott Resort. It was a long trip from Montreal through San Francisco, but we’ve made it. My co-Founder, Fred Ngo, has come along and we’re expecting more of our team tomorrow and Monday. The venue is spectacular, a great place for a conference like DEMO 08.

In case you’re interested, we’re presenting on-stage on Wednesday, January 30th @ 9:44am PST (12:44pm EST) and you can watch it live at DEMO.com.

I hope to leave some short updates here over the next week about the experience and then come back with plenty of news, lessons learned, etc.

And Standout Jobs goes officially live on Monday, January 28th @ 7am EST when the press embargo is lifted. So check it out!

First-time startup CEOs don’t have it easy. Regardless of how much previous experience they might have - whether it’s in business or from school - thrusting yourself into the role of startup CEO is like tossing freezing cold water in your face every day. Jason Goldberg recently left as CEO of Jobster and he reflected on his experience in 12 Learnings From My First Turn As Startup CEO.

What’s certain is that Jason (and any other first-time startup CEO) walks away with a ton of lessons learned. Most of which are hard earned, regardless of whether the startup is a success or not.

Looking at Jason’s points, I wanted to add my own thoughts…

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Preparing for presentations isn’t easy. Even team meetings with your colleagues can be stressful and challenging. Few of us are true extroverts, and even fewer of us are comfortable with public speaking. Awhile ago, I joked a bit about things you shouldn’t say in a presentation but really, it’s no laughing matter.

One of the most anticipated parts of launching Standout Jobs at DEMO is the 6-minute presentation you have to give on-stage. The DEMO people are great at preparing you and letting you know what to expect, but ultimately it’s up to you. And for most presenters it will be the most important, most stressful, and biggest presentation they’ve ever given in their lives.

Some people have asked me, “What about all the VC and angel investor pitches you’ve done? Those must be pretty tough?” Yes, they are. But once you’ve done a few of them, you learn what to expect fairly quickly, and often they’re more conversations than presentations. You’re hoping to engage the potential investors in a healthy discussion. The format is typically less formal than going on-stage in front of hundreds (if not thousands) of people and doing your thing.

So how do you prepare for a big presentation?

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